Tara stars as Peterborough United win on the road in the National League

Posh were 3-0 up inside 16 minutes before running out 3-2 winners. They were never under threat to drop points though as the hosts didn’t claim their second goal until the 95th minute.

The win kept Posh in third place, a point behind local rivals Northampton Town and leaders Loughborough Lightning who remain hot favourites for the title even though they surprisingly dropped points with a 1-1 draw at lowly Worcester City. They two games in hand on their closest rivals.

Hayley James nodded Posh in front from a Megan Lawlor corner in the third minute before Tara Kirk made it 2-0 on 13 minutes with a composed finish after a throw-in into the penalty area. And player-of-the-match Kirk made it 3-0 three minutes later when converting a Keir Perkins cross at the near post.

Posh continued to dominate, but conceded a goal on 28 minutes after a rare slip from goalkeeper Neive Corry. Perkins and James came close to re-establishing a three-goal lead before the break.

Niamh Reynolds saw a ‘goal’ disallowed at the start of the second half for a pushing offence before Renai Bennett and Poppie Brown were thwarted by the home ‘keeper. Perkins then saw her shot tipped over the bar.

Sutton Coldfield rallied towards the end and Corry made one decent stop, but she couldn’t keep out a late consolation strike.

Posh are in Northants Cup semi-final action at Wellingborough Town next Sunday (March 16).

Posh: Corry, Driscoll-King, Sharpe, James, Reynolds (sub Bale, 78 mins), Lawlor, Brown (sub Meli, 64 mins), Middleton (sub Mears, 64 mins), Perkins, Bennett (sub Osker, 64 mins), Kirk.